The Dangers of Sleep Cooking
by Pixieblade
Summary: Pairing: 58 T-WS Sometimes the nights are too long. Now updated with a 'What the heck was Gojyo doing' chapter!
1. The Dangers of Sleep Cooking

Title: **The Dangers of Sleep Cooking**

Series: Saiyuki (set in the first few months of their living together)

Pairing: 58 (T-WS)

"This sucks..." Yep, you heard right folks, profanity from the lips of one Cho Hakkai. Rubbing his burning eyes he stared blearily at the clock on the wall. He'd read the same four lines a dozen times now and still had no idea what they said. Sighing he grumbled and dropped the book haphazardly onto the wobbly stack by his feet, not bothering to restack them when gravity and physics won and they toppled to the wooden floor in a muffled rumble.

He'd just close his eyes for a minute, just enough to stop the stinging. Yes, that should be fine, he'd still have plenty of time before Gojyo made it home. Collapsing back onto the threadbare couch, he really must look into buying a new one, he curled up onto his side, bare feet burrowing down between the cushions, his head propped up on his arm, fingers splayed out over his bad eye, monocle placed gently on the side table, the only thing he bothered to pay attention to. Glass was so very hard to find in the right thickness and prescription after all.

Sanzo had called Gojyo over a week ago, something about a job for the hanyou that only he could do. Hakkai wasn't t sure he wanted details after seeing the clothes Gojyo'd packed, all leather and animal prints. Some things he'd never seen, others he had to turn away from for fear the blush staining his cheeks would be noticed. He'd coughed politely and asked if the red-head would be requiring else for the evening before turning in; Gojyo's smiled tightly, like he wanted to say something but didn't and just shrugged.

"I'll be done by Friday, think you can make dinner or something when I get back?" Hakkai'd smiled then, it looked like Gojyo was finally starting to get the hang of having someone around after all.

"Of course, any requests?"

"Nah, everything you make's fine, so whatever you come up with'll be cool. Thanks man, see ya Friday." He'd raised a parting hand, cigarette hanging loosely between fingers, over his head as he'd walked out into the night.

Hakkai hadn't slept since.

He was more than willing. He really wanted to in fact, but his mind rebelled against his body, the result being he was working the last frayed nerve in his head and his body was heavy as lead; his eyes burned as though he'd been staring into the sun for too long. Overall, he was a mess. He'd reread every book in the house, had spoken to every neighbor for half a mile in every direction. Scrubbed the floor a half-dozen times and even cleaned the oven. He'd managed to do the laundry yesterday and the dishes were stacked and sparkling clean in their cupboards. Dishes. Oh bother. He'd forgotten about dinner.

Sighing again he pulled himself up, hissing as his feet tingled back to life as he dropped them to the floor, staggering slightly as he attempted to stand. Oh yeah, he could do this, he could, just, you know, hold onto something until he got his legs back. Yes, that's all he had to do. Drag himself into the kitchen, he was fine, yep, he didn't stumble over the chair legs at all, nope, not him. He wondered briefly if this is what it felt like to be drunk, and then dismissed the notion, if he was drunk the room would be spinning, but it was only fuzzy and slightly skewed to the left, so he must still be fine.

Food. Focus, he could do this, he was fine, just a tad tired, that's all. Dinner. What would he be able to cook for them? Collapsing in front of the pantry he rummaged around the various boxes and bags. Rice. Rice was good. Rice was easy, a few spices and maybe some nuts and fruit and it could even be special rice. Good, one down, what else. Potatoes, no, he already had rice...um...carrots. Yes, he had carrots, peel the carrots, put in pot, cook; he could do that, that wasn't hard. What else? Meat. Ok, something more specific than just meat. Umm...

"Pork roast? Chicken?" he dragged the back of his hand across his bleary eyes, "Oh, I can't even think of something to cook. Sanzo had better appreciate this. This is absolutely the last time I go along with a job this long alone. Stupid droopy-eyed priest. Maybe I should just cook him, that'd make up for a week's worth of sleepless nights I think."

"As hungry as I am, I think I'll pass on a Sanzo roast, 'Kai."

"Yes, yes, he'd probably be all stringy anyways."

"Eh? Gojyo?! Ah, haha, welcome home!" Hakkai jumped, startled and banged his head into the counter top.

"Ah. Ow, um..sorry, dinner's not quite ready yet."

"Shit, Hakkai, you ok man?" Gojyo dropped his bag on the couch and raced to his side, lightly fingering the bruised scalp.

*hiss* "Yes, it doesn't appear to have broken the skin."

"Hey," kneeling beside Hakkai he cupped the pale chin and lifted until he was able to search Hakkai's face, "Man, you look like shit. Have you really not slept all week?"

"Yes, well, I had cleaning to do you know, laundry, the floors and such. If you'll let me go now, I promised you dinner, did I not?"

"Screw dinner. I'm not hungry enough to be that much of a complete ass. Come on, you're going straight to bed."

"Ah, no, really, I'm fine, just a little spacey; I'll splash some water on my face and be fine, really."

"Nope, no arguing, I'm worn out myself, so how about we both crash, you can cook in the morning if you really want to." Gojyo picked up the struggling man and held him tight against his chest, one arm under his knees, the other wrapped around his shoulders.

Hakkai sighed and stopped struggling, leaning heavily against the warm chest and let his eyes drift shut. He wasn't even conscious of Gojyo gently laying him in bed and climbing in next to him, pausing to kick his shoes off and then shimming down until he was pressed up against Hakkai's back. Strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist, fingertips dangling over the bunched up nightshirt; calloused pads lightly tickling the raised skin of his scar.

He sighed sleepily and pushed back into the hard warmth at his back, mumbling something incoherent about telling Sanzo off and that weeks had too many days in them and how leopard prints haunted his nightmares. Gojyo smiled and pressed in closer, bodies molding together as his nose rummaged through the soft chocolate colored hair pressing against his neck. He completely agreed with every incoherent thought that tumbled out of Hakkai's lips.

Gojyo fought the urge to let sleep steal this opportunity to question the unguarded man, "Hey, 'Kai?"

"Hmm..."

"What kept you from sleeping?"

"Stupid." Gojyo's eyebrows shot up, he'd never heard Hakkai talk to anyone so, so, um...humanly? Was that even a word?

"Tell me why, 'Kai." He whispered, breath skimming the shell of Hakkai's ear, the cool metal fogging over.

"Can't sleep." he mumbled.

"Why?"

"Can't sleep without you. Too cold." He pressed back farther, like he was trying to crawl inside Gojyo to get warm.

"There are blankets you know."

"Not the same...wanted you." Hakkai groaned frustrated at being kept awake and struggled to turn over, their proximity causing the healer to end up half on top of the other. His eyes were so dark as to be almost black, with a harsh bloody haze speaking of his lack of sleep.

Leaning in, he unceremoniously kissed the shocked half-breed, tongue flicking over lips as he drew away. Collapsing he folded himself around the stiff body beneath him and cushioned his head on the hard chest, sighing contentedly as arms came up to wrap around him.

"Now please, shut up and let me sleep. It's been a long week."

Gojyo felt the small smile twitch the corners of his lips. He ran long fingers through silky hair and breathed in deeply of the crisp scent of soap and shampoo. His eyes finally slipping shut as he hazily thought, that Hakkai was right, blankets just didn't compare.

Fin.


	2. Five Ways From Sunday

Title: **Five Ways From Sunday**

Series: Saiyuki

Pairing: 58 w/5xOPs

AN: Other half of The Dangers of Sleep Cooking

"You gotta be kidding me. No fucking way, deal with it yourself."

A short bark of mirthless laughter broke forth from Sanzo's pursed lips. "You act like you have a choice."

Gojyo glared at the monk, determination steeling his nerves, "No way man, Hakkai'd kill me."

"Since when did you start giving a damn about what other people wanted?"

"Since he started...fine, whatever, but if he kills you, I ain't stopping him." the hanyou flicked the prissy monk off and spun on his heel, grabbing his jacket and flinging the black leather over his shoulder, blatantly ignoring the dark glower at his back.

Sanzo's eyes lowered slightly, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what they had 'started' as long as that stupid cockroach did as he was told.

"Bakasaru! Get out of that fucking tree! How many times do I have to tell you!"

"Aww! But Sanzo~!"

***

Gojyo bit down hard on his cigarette kicking open the door of the temple and then spat, great, now he'd fucking ruined a perfectly good cig. Shit. Hakkai was going to flip when he told him. Sighing he ran a hand through his hair and smiled ruefully. _'When had he started caring what other people wanted?'_, huh? *Heh* Sanzo'd probably shit a brick if he'd told him it was when they started acting all married like.

It'd been what, six months now since they'd started really living together. Well, something like that. He discounted the months before that dumb-assed Banri had shown up again, they'd existed in the same general area, but they didn't talk or hang out or anything, so he wouldn't really call that 'living together'. After Hakkai had gone all youkai bad-ass to save him though, he smiled at the memory, yeah, that's when they really started to get close.

Stupid shit like eating dinner together and not bringing random girls' home became important for some reason. That and they had this weird way of talking that didn't really use words. Maybe it was body language, maybe it was some fucked up inherited demon thing, who knew, but he'd had more than one person comment on it.

'_You two are so weird. What are you, brothers or lovers?'_

'_Huh?' yeah, really eloquent there. The bar girl had leaned across the counter and tapped him on the nose, drawl thick as shorghum as she spoke._

'_Well, listen to the two of you, it's like you've got your own language or something, I ain't heard a single complete sentence between the two ya'll all evening, he'd start saying somethin' and you'd come back with either the rest of his thought, or half an answer while he'd nod like the whole damn world was speaking the same thing! It's just spooky!' _

_Hakkai had laughed politely and dropped enough cash on the counter for both their drinks before standing up. I think I might have been shell shocked, still sitting there like an idiot. I could feel him pause by the door, an unspoken thought in my head, 'Yeah, I'll meet you at home.'_

'_Your keys.'_

'_Yeah, the one by the door.'_

_A slight nod and he was gone, the pretty girl laughing so hard her entire body was shaking, 'See?! You two are like an old married couple or something! Ah! You should save all those pretty words and just go home. I think he might be a tad angry.'_

'_Nah, he was just shocked. He's use to it and all.'_

_Wiping a hand across her eyes she had looked at me kinda sad then, 'Hunny, I'm gonna give you a piece of advice because I like your boy, he's cute and always polite. That man there, he may act all 'use to it' but he ain't, and he don't wanna be either. If I were you, I'd get my back-side home pronto, that's the type of man most of us would die for. Count your blessings and scoot.'_

_I'd laughed at her, dish towel flipping at me across the counter and had backed up, hands in an I surrender motion and left, but my mind was reeling. She was either an uncanny judge of people, or I was just too fucking stupid to notice. I mean, I should have noticed, everything about us screamed that something wasn't normal. When Banri was with me, we'd joked, even had a few tag teams with a girl or two, but I'd never thought of anything past that, hell, half the time I was at some chick's place or so trashed I was happy to have made it to the couch to begin with. But Hakkai._

_Why had I taken some half-dead stranger in? That wasn't exactly in my nature or anything. It was probably the eyes. His eyes are amazing. I'd never met any girl with eyes as dark and brilliant and haunted as those. A deep forest pool. That's what I'd thought. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a poet or anything, but the combination of those eyes boring into me and that short croaked laughter when he saw me, like he'd expected a cheap cut of meat and gotten prime rib, an unexpected surprise that just left him staring at the plate in disbelief._

_I knew I would take him anywhere he wanted then. The doc that came and looked over the horrid mess I'd made shoving his guts back in asked if I knew him. I couldn't answer. I mean, I didn't, I'd just met the guy, but I did know him, I just didn't know how. _

'_Well, maybe you knew each other in a past life, these things happen; don't let him move for a while though and he should be fine.'_

_Past life, huh? Maybe, who the hell was I to question the feeling then. When he was finally up and semi-functional I'd kept my distance, he'd leave when he could and I'd be back to my normal routine. Didn't matter if I didn't really want him to and then that shitty priest came and all my internal alarms went blaring through my head, why the hell should I stick up for some guy I barely knew? But I did. And I about killed him myself when he pushed past me, gently telling me that it was ok, he was fine, ready even, that it would be nice to finally be punished. Bullshit. I should have grabbed his hand and run, I wanted to, I really, really did. But I didn't. I let him go. Not my business._

_And I kept to that. Even when he came back, even when all I wanted to do was wrap him in my arms and yell at him for scaring the shit out of me. I still held back. So when Banri came back and I knew he was pissed I ignored it, even fanned the flames with words I knew would provoke him. Payback I guess, half of it anyways, the other half was just me being a scared little shit that didn't want to think what would happen if I let someone in again. But he came to get me and since then we'd been closer than any two people should ever be allowed to get. Sometimes it felt like he was sitting in my head; creepy but thrilling._

All these months we'd been getting closer, to the point where we feed off of the other's presence; I needed to have him near me, like a fire needs fuel. I'd make any excuse I could to touch him, an arm draped over his shoulder to see what he was looking at (not that I really cared), shoulders brushing against each other as we walked (saving space and such), getting my hair all tangled in knots, that was a new one, his fingers running through the long strands was heavenly. Ok, maybe we were like an old married couple. Didn't mean he wanted anything more than that and didn't mean I was gay.

Yep, he was going to kill me.

Hand on the knob he took a deep breath and paused, he was sure Hakkai was going to be sitting on the couch completely engrossed in that new book he'd bought him last week. The guy was a ferocious reader, something about being a teacher in a former life. He was also sure Hakkai's face was going to go from all happy-to-see-ya to that stony mask he wore whenever he was pissed. The last thing he was sure about was that he'd regret agreeing to this the minute Hakkai heard what his 'job' was going to entail.

No point in dragging it out now I guess.

"Yo." Gojyo walked in and slouched out of his jacket, tossing the discarded leather over the back of the kitchen chair. Hakkai was sitting on the couch, one leg dangling off the edge of the seat, the other pulled under his knee, left hand gripping the bare foot tightly while he leaned forward, eyes darting across the page as he followed the mystery's action. Gojyo smiled, guess he liked it then.

Tapping another cigarette out into his palm, he watched as Hakkai finished the line he was reading and placed the worn bookmark back into the book, gently laying it on the side table with his monocle before leaning back and rubbing his eyes.

"Well, what did Sanzo want then?" Gojyo glanced at the floor nervously and then wandered into the bedroom. Grabbing his duffle out of the closet he rummaged around in the back until he found the box he'd need.

"Gojyo?"Hakkai's soft voice at his elbow made him jump.

"Ah, just a job."

"Job? Should I have gone too then?"

"No, it's just a simple recon mission, only needs one of us."

He could almost feel Hakkai's brow rise questioningly. "Then why exactly, are you packing, what is that anyways?"

"Ah, yeah, so, the place I gotta go to, it ain't exactly your kinda place." He smiled tightly_, 'I'm gonna die, he's gonna kill me right now, I'm so fucking gonna die!'_

Hakkai dropped the leopard print, shirt? Shorts? Well, _thing_, back into the pile and rose quickly, blush staining his cheeks as he turned and walked back out into the bedroom coughing evenly as he say lightly on the edge of the bed he kicked his feet back and forth and called out to the still packing kappa.

"So, how long will you be on 'reconnaissance then?"

"I'll be done by Friday, think you can make dinner or something when I get back?" Hakkai'd smiled then, it looked like Gojyo was finally starting to get the hang of having someone around after all.

"Of course, any requests?"

"Nah, everything you make's fine, so whatever you come up with'll be cool."

Walking back out into the bedroom Gojyo stopped and stared at the other man. He looked so very fragile sitting there, one of his overly large sleeping shirts half-hanging off his shoulder, dark green shorts matching his eyes, pale arms and legs cast in an unearthly purple glow from the last rays of the sun setting outside their window.

He tapped down the sudden urge to toss all this crap and Sanzo's 'job' out the window and just stay home, but he'd already said he'd do it, and he never went back on his word.

"Thanks man, see ya Friday." He stated flippantly before raising a parting hand over his head as he'd walked out into the night, cigarette hanging loosely between his fingers. He wasn't dead, but the hurt look in Hakkai's eyes sure made him wish he was. As he stomped off back into town he fought with himself the whole way, he'd given his word, nothing he could do about it now, just try and get this shit done as fast as possible.

He sighed heavily, yeah right, this was going to be the longest fucking week in history; he just knew it.

***

"This sucks." He mumbled into his glass. He'd been staking out a brothel for four days now. A brothel, he should be fucking ecstatic, jumping up and down like a kid in a candy store or Goku at a food stall, but no~ he had to not only be sober the whole damn time, but every time one of the girls shimmied up next to him he got these cold sweats and saw Hakkai's disapproving eyes looking at him.

He'd been thoroughly broken by the green-eyed demon. What made it worse was that he knew it, knew it in the way that while his body was more than willing to take any and all of the beauties slipping around him in several various ways, the mere thought of somehow betraying Hakkai made him sick to his stomach. And he wasn't allowed to drink! Damn it all!

"Hey now, you've been here for a few days, but I haven't seen you with anyone. Something wrong lover? Have a fight with the misses or something?" the silky voice sluiced over him, sending tingles down his back. This wasn't just any whore, this voice belonged to a seasoned professional, someone who could read people and money and could somehow _smell_ Sanzo's Gold Card burning a hole in his pocket. This was who he'd been waiting for.

He turned on his most dejected aura, the one he saved for those girls that liked to play 'mommy' and fix the broken boys around them.

"She...I caught her with another man! His voice cracked as he dropped his head another inch closer to the empty glass in his hands.

He could feel her press against his back, all firm and giving in the right places. "Shh...now, it's ok, I'm here for you." She petted his head tenderly, the act made him nauseous, he was so gonna kill that droopy-eyed freak of a priest when he got out of here.

A silky voice washed over his ear, "I've got a room upstairs..."

He mock pulled away from her embrace, "Ah, no, no I couldn't, I still love her and..."

Long gaudily painted fingernails pushed against his lips, "It's ok, love, we can just sit and talk, you look exhausted, when was the last time you slept, come with me, we'll get you a nice room to rest in, how's that sound?"

He allowed her to drag him from the stool and around the corner. He mentally went through the blueprints, marking a trail of breadcrumbs so to speak. This was the oldest and most exclusive House in the Red Light District of Chang'An, so of course it was a freaking maze. They passed through another three doors and then down a small flight of steps. Down? There was no down on his map. Fucking priest was right, damn it! The stairwell was too tight for him to fight with her; he'd have to wait then. Pausing by an intricately carved red door she took out a small set of brass keys and fitted one into the lock.

"See, a nice cozy room just for us. It's all private here, you can sleep if you want or we can have some tea and talk. That's what you were drinking, correct? Mother's famous blooming tea? She makes it herself, it's so soothing."

His eyes were starting to get a bit bleary, maybe it was all those fake tears he had squeezed out earlier or the incense burning in the brassier on the low table in the center of the room. Fuck! This was poison, some form of drug to keep him compliant and fuzzy.

"Bitch!" he was able to ground out between semi-working lips before he crumpled to the floor. The last thing he saw was pointed ears and a spider web tattoo on her ankle. God. Damn. Fucking. Demons! Oh yeah, Hakkai was going to kill him. Then there was nothing.

***

There were voices in the darkness. He tried opening his eyes and found that, like the rest of him, they were swathed in a thick black cloth. Well that's good. Means he wasn't dead or being eaten just yet. There was rummaging, the sound of cloth on cloth and then the soft pad of socked feet rustling across the carpeted floor. A light pinch on his upper arm and quick intake of breath made him smile, if he didn't have this damned gag in that is. And then a jaw cracking smack followed by the dangerous hiss of "Stupid whore! This man is our contact! Didn't you see the tattoo! Red hair, red eyes, he's a demon and you go and truss him up like he's a bird for the pot! Get out of my sight, now!"

The scared whimper of "Momma." Floated over to him before strong hands pulled the cloth up and over his head, the orange glare from the lamp quickly blinding him for a moment as those same hands worked the gag out of his mouth and slashed the restraints of his wrists.

"My Lord, I'm so sorry, if we had known it was you." An older woman in her mid-sixties bowed low before him, her silver hair twisted up into the most intricate knotting pattern he'd ever seen.

Rubbing the blood back into his hands he glared at the woman, "I take it you're the 'Mother' of this establishment then?"

"Yes, Yes, My Lord. Please, I use to be Red Butterfly before I took over."

Her eyes flashed red and he understood why, the fire burning in their depths resembled the small creature perfectly.

"Fine. I expect that wretched child to be re-trained, in the meantime, I'd like to change, and then we can discuss your next shipment. The last batch was diseased; half of them had to be put down. Did you even check them?"

Thin red lips stretched taut across a mouth of sharp tiny fangs, "My Lord, we did check, they must have had something we didn't know about!" her groveling was making him sick, did demons really act like this?

"I will personally inspect this next batch. The only reason I've bothered with this establishment is we've heard rumors the temple's been sniffing around." Well, not exactly a lie, he _was_ sniffing around and it _was_ that fucking monk that sent him, so...

"The Temple! Oh no, we're very careful, My Lord. My girls check each and every one that's brought through."

"Your 'girls' brought me in, didn't they?" She hissed and glanced around nervously.

"I shall get you some tea now, please take your rest here. I will be back shortly." She bowed again and scurried out of the room. Gojyo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Turning his back on the door he surveyed the room and then proceeded to pick up his bag and toss it onto the bed.

He hated this part, fingering the horrid reminders of his past he set out the gaudiest outfit he could think of, leopard print top and bright red vinyl pants, heavy black leather boots that reached his knees and his black leather jacket topped the ensemble. Hakkai would be mortified his he saw him. The man had very simple, aesthetic preferences, and this would have grated his last nerve. As he twitched the bandana into place over his bangs he smiled. Yeah, Hakkai'd hate this outfit. But it had been totally worth it to see the fain blush that ran across the man's face when he was packing.

A sharp tap on the door had him crossing the floor quickly, fingers tingling with the waiting order to call the Shakujo out into being. Pulling the door open roughly he growled at the tiny girl in front of him.

"What?!"

A high pitched yelp made him glace down surprised, "I'm...I'm sorry! Mr. Demon-sir! Please, the misses told me to bring you tea! Please, don't be mad! Please!" the fear in her voice wasn't what shocked him; it was the fact that this child, for the girl in front of him couldn't be more than ten or twelve, was _human_.

He kneeled in the doorway and reached out, lightly grasping her chin in his hand and turning it slightly, a long finger reaching out and lightly stroking the deep purple-green welt across her upper cheek.

"M...Mr. Demon-sir?"

Rising fluidly, he held open the door and waved the girl in; carefully checking the hallway before closing it much softer than he'd originally opened it. The girl had gone straight to the table and was setting out tea, plain green tea much to his relief. He crossed back to the couch and sat down heavily, booted foot crossing knee and hanging in the air. To anyone watching he should appear the very epitome of arrogant demon-ness.

"Girl, you're human." It wasn't a question, but she answered anyways.

"Ye..Yes, Sir."

"Stop stammering. Who left that?" he pointed to her face and she blanched, one small hand going up to cover the mark.

"No one, Sir, I'm clumsy, I fell down the stairs."

He snorted inelegantly and leaned forward, both feet firmly planted on the floor. "It's a door, not the stairs."

"What?"

"When you've got a shiner like that you say you ran into a door, if your back is bruised you fell down the stairs, unless," his eyes narrowed as he grasped her arm and pulled her closer, turning her and pulling up the back of her shirt slightly, "fucking hell." Her back was a tapestry of colors, some marks still had fresh blood smears across them, the sight made him sick.

Turning the girl back to him he gripped both arms tightly, "Who? Tell me who."

Her blue-green eyes were scared and tearing slightly, shaking her head in denial he pulled her against his chest roughly and whispered into her ear, "It's ok, no one will hurt you again, I promise."

A small banging in the hall alerted him. Pushing the girl to the floor he told her to stay, the scared look she had on would be a good job convincing whoever was coming that she was nothing but absolutely terrified of him. Standing back up he stalked to the door and listened. One, two, no three people, all women by the smell of the cheap perfume they were wearing. He crossed back to the girl and grabbed an empty cup from the table, sitting down and repositioning himself until his booted foot dangled in the air again.

Hissing under his breath, "Serve the tea, hurry."

The child had just finished pouring the scalding hot liquid when the door banged open and a dark-haired beauty was thrown bound onto the floor at his feet. The child scampered up and moved behind him.

"You! Why are you still here? You've served the tea, now go!"

"Wait."

"My Lord?"

"I like the tea, she can stay. In the meantime, what is this that you've brought me?"

Handing the cup over his shoulder the child took it and placed it on the small tray she was carrying. Gojyo reached over and yanked the long blue-black hair back viscously until he could see her eyes. They were striking, a deep sapphire blue that matched her hair.

"Hmm... pretty. What's this one's crime?"

"She's new."

He raised an eyebrow. "Ah...bad timing on your part my dear. Seems we have a little problem I've come to sort out and you just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, but she is quite striking. It'd be a shame to kill her when I can think of other uses for her." He smiled perversely as the girl struggled at his feet. The other two grinning wickedly and backing out of the room.

"We'll leave her in your care, My Lord. Send the child for the cleaning girl when you're done."

The soft click of the door and evil laughter filled the hallway as he leaned back in the sofa heavily.

"Great, now I have two of you to keep an eye on. Hell."

He looked at the still bound demon at his feet and sighed. "Hey, what's your name?" leaning over the back of the couch he fixed the young girl with a light stare.

"Me? Um...Kate. I was called Kate before."

"Kate...Katie then, that ok?" she nodded emphatically and smiled as she walked over to him.

"Katie, you think you can help me find something to cut her bindings with?"

Pulling out a tiny blade she grinned sheepishly up at him through tiny blond curls and extended her hand towards him. He waved her off and pointed to the woman.

"I think she'd be happier if you could untie her. Looks likes she wants to kill me for that hair thing earlier. Sorry about that by the way, a man should never do two things: hit a woman and make her cry. Looks like I pretty much did both of those to you."

His eyes clouded over for a moment as images of his mother flashed through his mind. He abandoned them as the sound of scrambling came to him along with a soft yelp.

Standing quickly he raised his hands, "Hey, hey now, you gotta problem with me fine, but leave the girl out of it, she's innocent."

The blade twitched away from the tiny throat and Katie made a bee line for Gojyo's legs, hiding behind them and clutching to the bottom of his jacket.

"Who are you? Why are you letting me go?"

Sighing he dropped his hands and walked over to the bed, Katie stumbling to move out of the way as he turned. He dug through the bag. Turning, he tossed a small frog shaped statue towards the girl. If he was wrong he'd just blown his cover.

Her eyes went wide ad she turned it over, fingers pressing in against her bruised mouth she sank bonelessly to the floor. "Then you're a..."

"Stop. I'll say this only once. I've got a reason for being here and you two ain't it. When things go bad, I'm not gonna be able to help either of you, you understand? You'll have to get out of here on your own. That there, that should help you get out. Do me a favor, when the time comes, stay together and run, don't look back, just run."

He turned to Katie and knelt by her, hand coming to rest on her curly head. "You trust me, right Katie-bug?" she nodded at him, eyes wide. "Then trust this Onee-chan, ok? You stay with her no matter what." He smiled at her and then walked back to the door.

Looking at the two of them a thought crossed his mind, "Oh, and can you do something about the marks on her back, some are still bleeding?"

She squinted at him suspiciously, "How did you know I was a healer?"

He smiled, "Darlin', if there's one thing I do know it's the smell of a healer. Now, both of you stay here."

He tossed a small brass key at the demon, "Take this, I'll break the lock on the outside so you'll be able to keep anyone out. Wait for the right moment before you run."

"How will I..." he tossed one of his best sultry looks at her.

"Baby, everyone knows when I'm done." Pulling the door shut behind him he called out the Shakujo and slammed the sharp crescent edge against the flimsy metal, shattering the lock on this side of the door.

"Ok, now where could they be hiding? Well, if all else fails, follow your nose I guess." Gojyo traced the horrid perfume back up the stairs and around the corner, through two more rooms and finally to what looked like an office of some kind. He tapped once as he pushed the door open and walked in, smiling dangerously as Madame Butterfly stood up shakily.

"My Lord!"

"Though I do _so_ enjoy your hospitality, I'd like to see the merchandise now."

"Ye...Yes, My Lord, please follow me!"

Four days. He'd told Hakkai he'd be home in five. He needed this to be resolved and like now! Fucking priest getting him mixed up in this shit.

"Here you go, My Lord, they are of course kept in separate pens so that disease and insurrection are easily fixed."

"All women?"

"Yes, we make sure none are with child or marked, they're teeth and other parts are all checked as well. We have a healer that looks them over when they're brought in."

"How young?"

"The youngest this time is eight, she was being trained to be a server, but of course at this age they are easily re-trained."

"Hmm..."

Stopping at one cell he held back the urge to puke. "What happened to this one? We have no need for damaged goods you know?"

"Ah, yes, she's not part of the shipment, she went against the training my girls gave her and something unfortunate happened with the tea-kettle. The mark is disfiguring, but not life threatening. She'll be used here in the lower rooms of the House for those clients of...lesser...means."

He nodded curtly and made a mental note to make sure cell five got out with the two he left below. As they moved on he counted, thirty-five. Thirty-five women, all human, between the ages of eight and twenty-seven, the whole situation made his stomach turn.

"I will need to check all of them individually. Find me a room near here and then we'll organize the payment."

"Of course, My Lord. We have a processing room up ahead, you can use that."

"Very well."

"Oh, My Lord, not to bother you or anything, but my serving girl?"

"Yes, I've decided I like her, I'll add in an appropriate amount to the final payment, I'm sure you can get another." He flicked his wrist in dismissal as she bowed and handed over her keys to him.

"Ah, yes, of course, I'm glad she served you well. I'll be in my office when you're done."

He ignored her supplicating form and made a quick walk through of the sterile room. It was probably the only clean room in the entire place. Checking the clock on the wall he cursed under his breath, three hours until the cavalry came busting through the doors, he had to make this fast.

He hadn't been alone like he told Hakkai, it wasn't that he'd lied to the man, it wasn't even that Sanzo had lied and put a tail on him, it was that the local guard was just so fucking obvious about who he was, bristling when any of the girls came close and only drinking tonic water. Gojyo'd at least ordered real alcohol, he just hadn't ordered as many. So when he was being led out of the room he'd made sure to bump into the guys table, dropping the tiny note in his lap and stuttering an apology that would have made Hakkai proud. He'd even used the polite tenses and everything.

The note had been simple, almost cryptic in its wording: Temple. Sanzo. 6pm. Princess. The last one was just to piss off the monk, but he figured even a stupid local guard could figure it out. He hoped so at least. He wandered back out into the hall, choosing the youngest girl first.

"You, come here."

She cried and refused to come closer.

"Now look here, I need you to come here or I will have to come in there and get you and really don't want to have to do that, do you understand child?"

"Monster! Don't touch her!" a cry went up in the hall and he groaned, they kept up this shit and that She Bitch from Hell was bound to get involved. Stalking over to the source of the noise he was pleasantly surprised to see it was the girl in cage five.

"What?" she spat out, "I'm too ugly so you go after little kids?"

He leaned against the bars and smiled softly at her, catching her off guard. "Look, you have a name?"

"Jahanna."

"Jahanna, pretty. I have a friend, her name's Kate, she's a little older than that one; maybe you know her?"

"Kate?" she whispered, eyes wide in recognition.

"Yeah, now little Katie-bug, I left her with this pretty blue-eyed healer girl I know, they're waiting for me to come back, and I've got these other friends, well, I don't know if I'd call them friends, but they're not bad guys really, but you see, we're supposed to hook up in about three hours, so I don't have time to be fighting with you. I have to personally take each and every one of you out of these shitty little cells and make sure you're fit for traveling. Then I have to put you all back in and go get that hell's spawn out of my hair for a while. You get me? So I don't have time to fuck around like this. Now if you would be so kind as to pass the message it'd make my job a hell of a lot easier."

She sat there listening in shock, then a huge grin inched its way across her face and even with the horrid scarring she was pretty. She nodded and grabbed a tiny rock, tapping out a message on the bars of her cell. Answering clanking ran up and down the hallway softly, just loud enough to be heard in the next cell and passed along.

"Good. Now, I'm gonna start with the little one, just in case someone's watching." She nodded quickly and called out.

"Lissa! You be a good girl, just do what he tells you and don't fight back. Lissa? You hear me?"

A muffled sob came back through the bars towards them. "She'll be ok, just tell her I said it's ok, she'll listen then."

Gojyo chewed on the inside of his cheek as he cocked his head and looked at the woman, "She yours?"

"My sister. The youngest, Kate's the middle one."

His eyes went wide at that. "She's a good girl, very brave. She's safe, I left her with a demon, but that one'd die to protect her, you have my word."

She sighed and closed her good eye briefly, "If I had met you on the street, things might have been different, but now..."

"When you find Kate, take to the woman with her, she may be able to help with that." He pointed at her face and she smiled.

"It's too late, but thank you."

"Lissa, you be good, just do what he says now. Go, if you wait too long they'll start to get suspicious."

He smiled and walked back to Lissa. "Ok little one, come with me for a minute."

Lissa reached out a small hand and followed him along the hallway to the room. Once there he closed the door and kneeled down, "Lissa, your sister told you to do what I said, you remember?"

She nodded tears running hotly down her dirty face.

"Now, now, you have to be a big girl, Kate didn't cry when I talked to her, you can be strong like that too, can't you?"

"Kate?"

"Yep, I met her a little bit ago; she's with a friend of mine, a nice Onee-san that's watching out for her in another room."

"Really?"

"Really. Now look, I'm gonna take you back to the cell now, but I'm not going to lock the door. I need you to stay there until Jahanna comes and gets you out, do you understand me?"

Chubby fingers gripped the ends of his hair and he felt his stomach flip, "Promise?"

"I promise."

"Ok."

"Good girl, come on now."

Taking her hand he led her back to the cage and clicked it shut, but not locked. He then went through every single one of them, telling them the same thing, leading them back and mock locking the doors. Finally he stood before Jahanna's cell, "Your turn."

"No."

"What?"

"No. if you let me out they'll know it was a ruse, you have to leave me here."

"I told Lissa to stay put until you come for her, you're gonna make me break my promise?" he hissed through the bars.

"If you can get her out when the time comes, then that's all I can ask, but you don't have much time left and they're coming. You can't risk it."

"Damn it all! You just wait; I'll get you all out one way or another."

He pocketed the key and turned away from the cell, schooling his face into one of indifference as he headed back towards the door, Madame Butterfly squawking her surprise as she pulled it open and he was standing before her.

"My Lord!"

"They're acceptable. Let's get this over with; the stench of too many humans is making me ill."

"Of course, My Lord."

He tossed her the key and watched blandly as she put it on her key ring, third in marked with a piece of his own blood. Walking back to her office he pulled out a fat purse and started counting.

"Five a piece for those over fifteen years of age, another seven for those under; plus four and a half for the serving girl." He left the stack of money sitting in front of the greed witch.

"The normal fee is six a piece for the older ones..."

"Your last batch died and made _me_ come out to this squalid little city. Call it a 'discount' for our troubles." He glared at the woman. _That's right, bitch, squirm, you disserve it for all the suffering those poor girls have gone through._

"Hah, why of course, yes, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, My Lord." Long claws scrabbled for the money as a loud boom shook the walls around them. The Madame scrambled to her feet, hissing as she pocketed the gold bars and ran past him, another boom giving him the opportunity to reach out in the pretense of steadying her. She drew back and hurried on out the door and up the stairs to the main floor.

"Fucking monk's late." Tossing the key ring in the air he smiled and hurried out the door.

***

Two went down in the ensuing battle- he should feel good about that. He should. But he didn't. The whole damn thing made his skin crawl. All he wanted was to get home to Hakkai and take a long hot shower.

"What's with you and kids?"

"Huh?"

"The kids. That's the second one that's run over and hugged you. Should I add pedophile to your pervy tendencies?"

Gojyo snorted, "That's the creepiest damn thing I've ever heard you say." He glanced around and scowled.

"Hey, where's the healer chick?"

"Who?"

"The pretty demon, blue-black hair and eyes? She was watching the kid for me. Had your stupid frog statue seal thingy."

"You gave my seal to a demon?!"

"Yeah well, had to make sure she got the kid out."

"Fucking stupid Kapa! If she wears limiters she could walk right into the fucking temple with that!"

"Nah, she didn't strike me as a thief, I think she was there doing the same thing we were."

"Now why the hell would a demon be trying to take down a human slave ring?"

"Who knows; who cares? My job's done. I'm going home. I'll send Hakkai to pick-up my payment later."

Waving over his head he wandered back towards the main road. It'd be late when he got in, but at least he'd be home. He smiled as he passed Jahanna and the girls, his smile getting larger as she smiled back, both eyes opened and a small packet of what smelled like herbs hanging from a belt she hadn't been wearing before. Well, at least the demon girl had gotten out, that was good.

"Ah! I'm starving, I wonder what Hakkai's made for dinner?" the happy thought carried him home.

***

He'd finally gotten home. watching Hakkai all sleep deprived and trying to cook had been funnier then hell, but the man needed sleep, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be homeless because Hakkai had burned the place down trying to make a 'Sanzo roast' or anything. Carrying the struggling man into the bedroom he fought with his own bout of exhaustion, finally giving in and curling in next to Hakkai. He'd been shocked when the other had rolled over on too of him and pressed a soft, messy kiss to his lips before telling him to shut up and sleep. Even more shocked that he'd somehow known it was coming. That's probably why he'd pressed the man for an answer as to why he hadn't slept at all.

He'd half to remember to add sleep deprivation to his tab for Sanzo. So when he finally woke up the next afternoon and Hakkai wasn't there, he got nervous. Maybe he'd really overstepped the boundaries of their friendship after all then, but fuck, he'd been tired too!

Mumbling something about all healers being possessed with ninja skills he slipped from the bed and padded to the bathroom, noticing for the first time he was still wearing the god awful clothes. He couldn't believe at some point he'd actually spent money on them. Well, the shirt anyways, the pants matched his hair, and the rest were black, so they were fine, but leopard print? When was that ever cool? Rinsing his mouth out, he splashed some water on his face and peeled off the skin-tight clothes.

He wandered back in and pulled out some loose fitting shorts and a night shirt and pulled his hair up into a loose pony tail before stumbling out into the overly bright living room. He squinted at the sharp afternoon sun and rubbed his eyes as he looked about, finally focusing on the slightly hunched form of Hakkai at the stove. Sliding up behind him and wrapped his arms around Hakkai's waist and rested his chin on his shoulder, breathing deeply the scent of soap and shampoo and the blue-berry pancakes cooking on the stovetop.

"Morning'." He mumbled into the soft contours of Hakkai's neck.

"Good morning. There's coffee on the table if you want some. These will be done in a few minutes."

"Hmm...Nah, I'm good like this, coffee can wait."

"Gojyo..."

"Hey, 'Kai?"

"Yes?"

"This past week sucked. Didn't realize how much I'd miss just being home like this."

"Yes, I'd assume you wouldn't get much sleep in the Red Light District."

"Stupid Sanzo and his stupid slaves. I wasn't even able to drink! How fucking twisted is he? Sends a man out to a brothel with a 'no sex, no alcohol' rule; well, the no sex was easy, but seriously man! No booze? Now that's just cruel and unusual!"

Hakkai relaxed against him and Gojyo smiled, he knew Hakkai had figured it out the moment he touched him, the man was as tense as a board.

"So, no sex and no alcohol; that does sound rough, Gojyo."

"I know! So here I am, saving kids and burn victims, and demon healer chicks and all I get for my trouble is a sleep deprived idiot who gets me all riled up with that lame excuse for a kiss and then falls asleep. I mean, where's the justice in the world?" he smiled into the brunette's neck, pressing in closer to run the tip of his tongue across the salty skin, smiling larger when he felt the small shiver run through his partner.

"'Lame excuse'?"

"Yeah, sorry man, but I think my grandmother could do better."

Hakkai turned in his hold, switching the burner off as he moved. There was a confident sparkle in the depths of his green eyes as he willing walked in to the loaded challenge, backing the hanyou back towards the abandoned bedroom.

"Well, excuse me for being mostly dead to the world and trying to get a certain talkative red-head to shut up long enough for me to sleep. Perhaps I could prove myself worthy with another try, I'm fairly certain it would blow away anything your _grandmother_, could do."

"Oh really? Then come on man, let's see what you've got?"

There was a soft chuckle from under a curtain of coffee-stained hair as pale hands twisted into crimson hair and slid over the dark grey of his shirt. Gojyo smiled wickedly as he slammed the bedroom door shut, falling into the bed and blocking out the world. Oh yeah, he'd definitely be adding sleep deprivation to their bill.

Fin.


End file.
